Counselor's Corner

During the months of October and November your child will have the opportunity to participate in Vaughan’s Dimes for Devonte fundraiser! Collection boxes will be located in each homeroom starting October 1st through November 22nd. The class with the most money raised will receive a special treat at the end of the fundraiser. Last year Vaughan raised over $800 for Pennies for Patients; now let’s see if we can raise even more for one of our very own students!

Vaughan Elementary 5th grade students had the opportunity to attend Sound to Sea. This field trip is an amazing hands on educational experience! Students learn so much on this field trip. Get ready fourth graders because it will be your turn next September!

Vaughan's Fall Festival will be held Thursday October 24th from 5:30-7:30. Come join us for a fun-filled night with a bounce house, an array of games, hot dog supper, cake walk, and the sweet shop. We can't to see you there!

Members of the Macon Rural Fire Department visited Vaughan to present a fire safety program. Topics covered included: what to do if there is a fire, the importance of smoke detectors, and having an escape plan in case of a fire. Vaughan Elementary is so thankful to our volunteer firefighters who present the fire safety program each year.

October is National Bullying Prevention Month, and I will be conducting classroom guidance lessons focused on respecting others in order to promote bully prevention. Guidance lesson highlights for the month of October and November will include reading “How Full is Your Bucket?” in 2nd grade, and reading “Each Kindness” in 4th and 5th grades. “How Full is Your Bucket?” focuses on treating others the way you want to be treated, and filling someone else’s bucket with happiness. “Each Kindness” focuses on including others and not judging others based on their appearance. First graders will have the opportunity to view a program called “See a Bully, Stop a Bully.” This program highlights how to identify a bully and how to handle a bully situation.

Bullying is an intentional act of aggression. The act of aggression happens over and over again not just one time. The three types of bullying are listed below.

Physical Bullying: hitting, kicking, pushing (or threatening to do it), stealing or hiding someone’s things, making someone do things they don’t want to do

Verbal Bullying: Name Calling, teasing, or insulting

Relational Bullying: ignoring or excluding, spreading rumors or gossip, pressuring someone to do something they do not want to do

An easy bully prevention model for children to learn is the Stop—Walk—Talk method. Students are taught that if they encounter a bully, they should tell the person to stop in a firm voice. Students are encouraged to use an “I Message” to communicate their feelings (i.e. “I feel _______ when you _______. Please stop.”). Students are then taught to walk away from the situation and go to a safe place. They should then talk to a trusted adult to get help.

For more information concerning bullying go to www.stopbullying.gov

We want all of our students at Vaughan to feel safe and comfortable at school. Please encourage your children to be conscious of their words and actions. Name calling can cause hurt feelings and low self-esteem. Rude statements may be meant as jokes, but may not be perceived as a joke to the student who is on the receiving end of the joke. Also, emphasize the importance of personal space and conflict resolution strategies. The Vaughan Elementary website has a bullying report form for parents and students to report acts of bullying to the principal and/or the counselor.

Red Ribbon Week will be celebrated October 28—November 1, 2019. The Red Ribbon Week theme this year is "Send a Message. Stay Drug Free". I will be facilitating classroom guidance lessons focusing on drug prevention, refusal skills, and peer pressure. Lessons will focus on decision making, peer pressure, and facts about drugs. I will be using the Too Good for Drugs Program in Grades K-2, and a combination of the Health Rocks and Too Good for Drugs Program in Grades 3-5.

This year’s red ribbon week activities will include:

October 28— “I'm Drug Free from Head to Toe” Day – Students will be allowed to wear hats

October 29- “Give Drugs the Boot” Day—Students will be asked to wear Boots to school

October 30- “Sock it to Drugs” Day—Students will be allowed to wear crazy or colorful socks.

October 31– “My Future’s too Bright to do Drugs” Day - Students will be allowed to wear sunglasses.

November 1 - “Our School is Proud to be Drug Free”-Students will be asked to wear burgundy uniform shirts.

For more information regarding red ribbon week go to www.redribbon.org

I am very excited to begin my 12th year as Vaughan’s school counselor! Please don’t hesitate to utilize my counseling services which include individual and small group counseling, classroom guidance, and many other services. I can also provide information on additional resources including counseling agencies in Halifax, Vance, and Nash counties. I am ready and willing to help anyway I can. It is a real pleasure to serve such a wonderful group of students! Feel free to call me at 257-6802 or email me at ccallahan@warrenk12nc.org

Individual Counseling

Teacher/Parent Referred or Self-Referral

Small Group Counseling

Teacher/Parent Referral

I like to have parent permission for student participation in small groups. I would like to emphasize that groups are for all students. Students can learn from one another and enhance their classroom behavior, learning skills, self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-discipline in a small group setting. I will begin my small group sessions the first of October and November.

Classroom Guidance

I conduct classroom guidance lessons on various topics including self-esteem, character education, self discipline/control, positive academic and behavior skills throughout the school year. School counselors must teach students the North Carolina Essential Standards for school counseling and the American School Counselor National Model Standards.

If you would like for your child to receive school counseling services, please complete this form and return to Mrs. Callahan.

School Counseling Referral Form

Student Name: ____________________________________

Parent Signature:___________________________________ Date:_______________

Briefly Describe Concern: ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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